
1. Install Monk
Monk runs as a native extension in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Antigravity, or any VS Code-compatible editor. Installation takes about two minutes. Click your IDE to install the extension directly:VS Code
Cursor
Windsurf
Antigravity
Full installation guide
Detailed steps, system requirements, and troubleshooting
2. Connect Your Coding Agent
Monk exposes its capabilities over MCP so your coding agent can call Monk for deployment, infrastructure, and operations tasks while you keep building code. Open the command palette in your IDE and run Monk: Manage MCP Server → Enable MCP server, then pick the agent you use.VS Code / Copilot
Cursor
Windsurf
Claude Code
Codex
Gemini CLI
Antigravity
MCP setup is optional. You can always talk to Monk directly in the built-in chat window (
Cmd+Shift+M).MCP setup overview
How Monk MCP works, what it configures, and common patterns
3. First Deployment
Open your project, then tell your coding agent (or Monk directly):First deployment walkthrough
Step-by-step guide with example prompts and common scenarios
4. Autonomous Operations
After your first deployment, Monk keeps your system running and gives you tools to manage it without writing infrastructure code. Watcher monitors your services around the clock and alerts you on Slack when something needs attention. CI/CD can be set up with a single prompt so every push triggers a new deployment. And you can scale, migrate, or reconfigure services at any time through natural language.How autonomous operations work
What Monk handles on its own vs. what it asks you
Watcher setup
Continuous monitoring and Slack alerts
CI/CD setup
Auto-deploy on every code push
Prompting guide
Tips for getting the most out of Monk
5. Connect Your Cloud
Monk follows a bring-your-own-infrastructure model. Everything runs on your cloud accounts. Monk asks for credentials when it needs them, but you can also set them up ahead of time.AWS
IAM access key and secret key
Google Cloud
Service account JSON key
Microsoft Azure
Service principal with client secret
DigitalOcean
Personal access token
All credentials and permissions
Full reference for every provider, including minimum IAM policies
6. Getting Help
If something goes wrong, start by asking Monk directly — it has full context about your project and infrastructure. For bugs, use the built-in Report a Bug button in the Monk panel. It collects environment details automatically and sends them straight to the engineering team.
Help & support channels
Bug reports, feature requests, community forum, and direct contact
Troubleshooting
Common issues and how to resolve them

